U.S. patent number 6,302,744 [Application Number 09/408,468] was granted by the patent office on 2001-10-16 for connector system with polarizing key mechanism.
This patent grant is currently assigned to 3M Innovative Properties Company. Invention is credited to Satoshi Nomura.
United States Patent |
6,302,744 |
Nomura |
October 16, 2001 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Connector system with polarizing key mechanism
Abstract
A connector system 10 includes a polarizing key mechanism
permitting only a specific combination of a pair of first and
second connectors 12, 14 to be connected with each other. The
polarizing key mechanism includes a frame-shaped first guide member
40 arranged around a fitting portion 22 of the first connector 12,
and a frame-shaped second guide member 42 arranged around a fitting
portion 32 of the second connector 14. Two grooves 48 are formed to
be recessed on the outer surface of the opposed longitudinal parts
of a first wall 44 of the first guide member 40. Two ribs 52 are
formed to project from the inner surface of the opposed
longitudinal parts of a second wall 50 of the second guide member
42. The first and second guide members 40, 42 permit the first and
second connectors 12, 14 to be connected with each other only when
the grooves 48 are compensatingly engaged with the ribs 52.
Inventors: |
Nomura; Satoshi (Sagamihara,
JP) |
Assignee: |
3M Innovative Properties
Company (St. Paul, MN)
|
Family
ID: |
17760250 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/408,468 |
Filed: |
September 28, 1999 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 13, 1998 [JP] |
|
|
10-290765 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/680 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R
13/64 (20130101); H01R 13/6275 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
13/64 (20060101); H01R 13/627 (20060101); H01R
013/64 () |
Field of
Search: |
;439/680,681,607,701 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Luebke; Renee
Assistant Examiner: Figueroa; Felix O.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: McNutt; Matthew B.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A connector system comprising a pair of first and second
connectors, each of which includes a fitting portion to be fitted
with a counterpart fitting portion in a mutually inserting manner
to establish an electrical connection between the first and second
connectors, and a polarizing key mechanism permitting only a
specific combination of the first and second connectors to be
connected with each other, characterized in that said polarizing
key mechanism comprises:
a first guide member provided around said fitting portion of said
first connector, said first guide member including a plurality of
engaging sections; and
a second guide member provided around said fitting portion of said
second connector, said second guide member including a plurality of
engaging sections which can be compensatingly engaged with said
plurality of engaging sections of said first guide member;
wherein said first and second guide members permit said first and
second connectors to be connected with each other only when said
engaging sections of said first guide member are compensatingly
engaged with said engaging sections of said second guide member,
and guide said first and second connectors under a compensating
engagement between said engaging sections in such a direction as to
cause a parallel translation of said fitting portions of said first
and second connectors while maintaining a face-to-face arrangement
of said fitting portions; and
wherein said fitting portion of each of said first and second
connectors has a polarity, and wherein said engaging sections of
each of said first and second guide members are located at
positions symmetric with respect to a center point of said fitting
portion of each of said first and second connectors.
2. A connector system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
engaging sections of each of said first and second guide members
are located at both sides of a horizontal sectional center plane
dividing said fitting portion of each of said first and second
connectors into upper and lower parts and at both sides of a
vertical sectional center plane dividing said fitting portion into
right and left parts.
3. A connector system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
polarizing key mechanism further comprises a first abutting section
provided in said first connector in association with said first
guide member for abutment with another connector which cannot be
compensatingly engaged with said first guide member to prevent said
first connector from being connected with the other connector, and
a second abutting section provided in said second connector in
association with said second guide member for abutment with further
connector which cannot be compensatingly engaged with said second
guide member to prevent said second connector from being connected
with the further connector.
4. A connector system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first
guide member includes a first wall substantially surrounding said
fitting portion of said first connector, said engaging sections of
said first guide member being grooves formed on said first wall and
extending along a direction of insertion of said first connector to
said second connector, and wherein said second guide member
includes a second wall substantially surrounding said fitting
portion of said second connector to define a gap for receiving said
first wall between said second wall and said fitting portion, said
engaging sections of said second guide member being ribs formed on
said second wall and extending along a direction of insertion of
said second connector to said first connector, said ribs being
adapted to be compensatingly engaged with said grooves.
5. A connector system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first
connector includes an insulation body provided with said fitting
portion and supporting a plurality of contacts, and a shell for
covering said insulation body, and wherein said first guide member
is structured as a frame member attached to said shell.
6. A connector system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first
connector includes an insulation body provided with said fitting
portion and supporting a plurality of contacts, and a shell for
covering said insulation body, and wherein said first guide member
is structured as a part of said shell located around said fitting
portion.
7. A connector system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second
connector includes an insulation body provided with said fitting
portion and supporting a plurality of contacts, said insulating
body being secured to a panel with an opening into which said
fitting portion is inserted, and wherein said second guide member
is structured as a frame member attached to said panel.
8. A connector system as set forth in claims 1, wherein said second
connector includes an insulation body provided with said fitting
portion and supporting a plurality of contacts, said insulating
body being secured to a panel with an opening into which said
fitting portion is inserted, and wherein said second guide member
is structured as a frame part integrally formed with said panel.
Description
This application claims priority pursuant to Title 35, United
States Code, Section 119, based upon the earlier filed foreign
application No. JP10-290765, filed on Oct. 13, 1998.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical connecting
apparatus, and more particularly to a connector system comprising a
pair of first and second connectors, each of which includes a
fitting portion to be fitted to a counterpart fitting portion in a
mutually inserting manner to establish an electrical connection
between the pair of connectors, and a polarizing key mechanism
permitting only a specific combination of the first and second
connectors to be connected with each other.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Conventionally, in an I/O interface of the electronic apparatus
such as a personal computer, to correctly connect an electronic
apparatus with a desired counterpart apparatus, it has been known
that a polarizing key function is added to the I/O interface for
permitting only one specific combination of connectors between an
I/O cable and a circuit board. Recently, as the electronic
apparatus has increasingly been smaller in size and become higher
in performance, a degree of allowance of electronic components used
therein is liable to lower, against an external interference such
as an application of excessive voltage. Accordingly, it is
important for the I/O interface of such a high performance
electronic apparatus to have a function for surely preventing the
erroneous connection of the apparatus, i.e., the erroneous
insertion of connectors, in view of safety for avoiding in advance
a failure of the electronic apparatus caused by a careless
mistake.
Also, nowadays, a standardization of a digital interface has been
discussed in persons pertaining to this industrial field, for
connecting an information processor such as a personal computer
with a display such as a liquid crystal monitor while keeping the
interchangeability. Under such circumstances, it is not desirable
from a point of view of a manufacturing cost, to newly develop
connectors for the interface matching with a new standard, but is
advantageous to basically use those of the conventional structure.
In the latter case, it is necessary that the connector used for the
interface of the new standard has the above-mentioned function for
preventing the erroneous insertion into another connector of the
same structure but used for a different use application.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication (Kokai)
No. 1-174880 discloses a prior art connector system having this
type of a polarizing key function. In the connector system, a male
connector for a cable has a shell covering a connector body, while
a projection extending in the connector-fitting direction is
provided at a desired position on an end surface of the shell to be
fitted to the female connector. Contrarily, the female connector
for a circuit board is arranged so that a fitting portion thereof
to be fitted to the male connector is exposed out from an opening
of a metallic panel of an apparatus housing, and has a notch groove
engageable with the projection of the shell at a desired position
of the periphery of the opening of the panel. Thus, a specific
combination of the male and female connectors wherein positions of
the projection of the shell and the notch groove of the panel
coincide with each other solely permits the mutual connection of
both the connectors by the engagement of the projection with the
notch groove.
The prior art connector system having the above-mentioned
polarizing key function is capable of preventing the male connector
having the projection in the shell and the female connector having
the notch groove in the panel from being connected to each other
unless they satisfy the specific combination. However, if a
conventional male connector of the same structure as the above-with
only one exception that the shell has no projection is used for
another I/O cable, the above connector system is incapable of
preventing the conventional male connector from being connected
with the female connector even though the notch groove is provided
in the panel. Accordingly, in a case wherein a conventional
connector is used for the above-mentioned new standard interface,
this connector system is risky.
When male and female connectors other than the specific combination
are connected to each other, there is a possibility in that the
projection of the shell of And the male connector abuts to the
panel to cause an unintentional rotation of the male connector
about the projection, which results in a risk wherein some of the
contacts in both the connectors are partially in contact with each
other. Further, there is a possibility in that the projection of
the shell is inadvertently inserted into the fitting portion of the
female connector, which may cause a short circuit between contacts
of the female connector if the entire shell or the projection
thereof is made of metal. Such a partial contact or short circuit
between the contacts may cause the above-mentioned failure of the
high performance electronic apparatus.
In addition, the high performance electronic apparatus is required
for having an increased electromagnetic shielding function in the
I/O interface. However, the notch groove provided in the panel on
the female connector side is liable to adversely influence the
electromagnetic shielding function. Since either the projection of
the shell or the notch groove of the panel is provided at a random
position, it is necessary to assemble the shell with the panel
while confirming the polarity of the male and female connectors so
that the projection is receivable in the notch groove when both the
connectors are connected to each other. This affects the
workability.
Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector
system with a polarizing key function permitting only one specific
combination of connectors, capable of preventing the erroneous
insertion of the connector while avoiding the partial contact or
the short circuit between contacts of the connectors, whereby the
safety is significantly facilitated upon the connection between
small-sized and high-performance electronic apparatuses.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a connector
system with a polarizing key function permitting only one specific
combination Of connectors, capable of surely preventing the
erroneous insertion not only of a connector having a polarizing key
function according to the present invention but also of that having
no such a function.
Further object of the present invention is to provide a connector
system having a polarizing key function, wherein an electromagnetic
shielding function is more facilitated in an I/O interface.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
connector system wherein a polarizing key function can easily and
correctly be added even to a connector having a polarity in a
fitting portion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To accomplish the above objects, the invention provides a connector
system comprising a pair of first and second connectors, each of
which includes a fitting portion to be fitted with a counterpart
fitting portion in a mutually inserting manner to establish an
electrical connection between the first and second connectors, and
a polarizing key mechanism permitting only a specific combination
of the first and second connectors to be connected with each other,
characterized in that the polarizing key mechanism comprises a
first guide member provided around the fitting portion of the first
connector, the first guide member including a plurality of engaging
sections; and a second guide member provided around the fitting
portion of the second connector, the second guide member including
a plurality of engaging sections which can be compensatingly
engaged with the plurality of engaging sections of the first guide
member; wherein the first and second guide members permit the first
and second connectors to be connected with each other only when the
engaging sections of the first guide member are compensatingly
engaged with the engaging sections of the second guide member, and
guide the first and second connectors under a compensating
engagement between the engaging sections in such a direction as to
cause a parallel translation of the fitting portions of the first
and second connectors while maintaining a face-to-face arrangement
of the fitting portions.
The invention further provides a connector system as set forth
above, wherein the engaging sections of each of the first and
second guide members are located at both sides of a horizontal
sectional center plane dividing the fitting portion of each of the
first and second connectors into upper and lower parts and at both
sides of a vertical sectional center plane dividing the fitting
portion into right and left parts.
The invention further provides a connector system as set forth
above, wherein the fitting portion of each of the first and second
connectors has a polarity, and wherein the engaging sections of
each of the first and second guide members are located at positions
symmetric with respect to a center point of the fitting portion of
each of the first and second connectors.
The invention still further provides a connector system as set
forth above, wherein the polarizing key mechanism further comprises
a first abutting section provided in the first connector in
association with the first guide member for abutment with another
connector which cannot be compensatingly engaged with the first
guide member to prevent the first connector from being connected
with the other connector, and a second abutting section provided in
the second connector in association with the second guide member
for abutment with further connector which cannot be compensatingly
engaged with the second guide member to prevent the second
connector from being connected with the further connector.
The invention still further provides a connector system as set
forth above, wherein the first guide member includes a first wall
substantially surrounding the fitting portion of the first
connector, the engaging sections of the first guide member being
grooves formed on the first wall and extending along a direction of
insertion of the first connector to the second connector, and
wherein the second guide member includes a second wall
substantially surrounding the fitting portion of the second
connector to define a gap for receiving the first wall between the
second wall and the fitting portion, the engaging sections of the
second guide member being ribs formed on the second wall and
extending along a direction of insertion of the second connector to
the first connector, the ribs being adapted to be compensatingly
engaged with the grooves.
The invention still further provides a connector system as set
forth above, wherein the first connector includes an insulation
body provided with the fitting portion and supporting a plurality
of contacts, and a shell for covering the insulation body, and
wherein the first guide member is structured as a frame member
attached to the shell.
The invention still further provides a connector system as set
forth above, wherein the first connector includes an insulation
body provided with the fitting portion and supporting a plurality
of contacts, and a shell for covering the insulation body, and
wherein the first guide member is structured as a part of the shell
located around the fitting portion.
The invention still further provides a connector system as set
forth above, wherein the second connector includes an insulation
body provided with the fitting portion and supporting a plurality
of contacts, the insulating body being secured to a panel with an
opening into which the fitting portion is inserted, and wherein the
second guide member is structured as a frame member attached to the
panel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a connector system
according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a partially sectional plan view, taken along line II--II,
of the connector system shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a first connector of the
connector system in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a second connector of the
connector system in FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating a
modification of the connector system shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating another
embodiment of the connector system according to the present
invention.
FIG. 7 is a partially sectional plan view, taken long line
VII--VII, of the connector system shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a general-purpose
connector system having substantially the same connector structure
as those of the connector systems shown in FIGS. 1 and 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention will be described below in detail with
reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the attached
drawings.
Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective
view of a connector system 10 of one embodiment of the present
invention, and FIG. 2 is a partially sectional plan view of the
connector system 10. The connector system 10 includes a pair of
first and second connectors 12, 14 having fitting portions,
respectively, for fitting to each other in a mutually inserting
manner to establish an electrical connection therebetween, and a
polarizing key mechanism permitting only one combination of the
first and second connectors 12, 14. Accordingly, the connector
system 10 may be suitably used for an I/O interface of an
electronic apparatus.
The first connector 12 includes an insulation body 16, a plurality
of contacts 18 fixedly supported on and arranged in the body 16 in
an array in a mutually insulated state, and a shell 20 covering the
body 16. The first connector 12 can be used as a male connector for
an I/O cable, and a male type fitting portion 22 wherein
slide-contact ends of the contacts 18 are arranged in an array is
formed on a front surface 16a of the body 16. The fitting portion
22 has a well-known D-shaped profile with a polarity, i.e., a
fitting directionality. The shell 20 has a hollow structure capable
of accommodating the body 16 and a cable (not shown) therein, opens
at a front end 20a to expose the fitting portion 22 of the body 16,
and is provided at a rear end thereof with a cable holder 24 for
securing the cable. The shell 20 is also provided with a pair of
pivoted hooks 26 for maintaining the first connector 12 and the
second connector 14 in a mutually connected state. Normally, an
electromagnetic shielding layer (not shown) is provided between the
body 16 and the shell 20.
The second connector 14 has an insulation body 28, and a plurality
of contacts 30 fixedly supported on and arranged in the body 28 in
an array in a mutually insulated state. The second connector 14 can
be used as a female connector for a circuit board of the electronic
apparatus, and a female type fitting portion 32 wherein
slide-contact ends of the contacts 30 are arranged in an array is
formed on a front surface 28a of the body 28. Similar to the
fitting portion 22, the fitting portion 32 has a well-known
D-shaped profile with a polarity, i.e., a fitting directionality.
The second connector 14 is fixed to a metallic panel 34 of an
apparatus housing with bolts 36 while exposing outward the fitting
portion 32 from an opening 34a of the panel 34. On the front
surface 28a of the body 28, a pair of fixed hooks 38 engageable
with the pivoted hooks 26 of the shell 20 of the first connector 12
are provided on the opposite sides of the fitting portion 32. The
fixed hooks 38 are formed integrally with an electromagnetic
shielding cover (not shown) usually mounted to the body 28.
The polarizing key mechanism of the connector 35 system 10 includes
a first frame-shaped guide member 40 surrounding the fitting
portion 22 of the first connector 12, and a second frame-shaped
guide member 42 surrounding the fitting portion 32 of the second
connector 14. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first guide member 40
has a first wall 44 having substantially a rectangular frame shape
and surrounding the fitting portion 22 of the first connector 12
via a gap, and is attached to the front end 20a of the shell 20,
for example, via a fitting structure 46 illustrated, with the inner
surface of a first wall 44 being in contact with the outer surface
of the shell 20. Two grooves 48 are formed at predetermined
positions on the outer surface of each of a pair of opposite
longitudinal sides of the first wall 44 of the first guide member
40. These grooves 48 linearly extend in a direction perpendicular
to a generally flat front end surface 44a of the first wall 44.
When the first guide member 40 is mounted at a predetermined
position to the shell 20, each groove 48 extends in parallel to the
inserting direction (shown by an arrow A in FIG. 2) of the first
connector 16 into the second connector 14. Normally, the
connector-inserting direction A is determined by configurations of
the fitting portions 22, 32 of the first and second connectors 12,
14, and substantially coincides with the extending direction of the
slide-contact ends of a number of contacts 18, 30 of both the
connectors 12, 14.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the second guide member 42 has a second
wall 50 having substantially a rectangular frame shape and
surrounding the fitting portion 32 of the second connector 14 via a
gap, and is attached to the front surface of the panel 34 with,
e.g., the bolts 36 for fixing the second connector 14 to the panel
34. The second wall 50 of the second guide member 42 has a
dimension and a shape capable of receiving the first wall 44 of the
first guide member 40 of the first connector 12 in a condition
where the inner surface of the second wall 50 is in contact with
the entire outer surface of the first wall 44. Two ribs 52 are
formed on the inner surface of each of a pair of opposite
longitudinal sides of the second wall 50 of the second guide member
42. Each of the ribs 52 has a dimension, a shape and an arrangement
compensatingly engageable with each of the grooves 48 of the first
guide member 40, and linearly extends in a direction orthogonal to
a generally flat front end surface 50a of the second wall 50. When
the second guide member 42 is attached to a predetermined position
of the panel 34, each rib 52 extends in the abovementioned
connector-inserting direction A. A front end surface of the
respective rib 52 is present on the extension of the generally flat
front end surface 50a of the second wall 50. In this regard, a term
"compensatingly engageable" or "compensating engagement" used in
this specification represents such a relationship concerning a
dimension, a shape and an arrangement that an engageable
counterpart is solely determined in a specific one-to-one
correspondence and that a play of engagement is eliminated.
The first guide member 40 and the second guide member 42 permit the
mutual connection of the first connector 12 with the second
connector 14 when the grooves 48 and the ribs 52 thereof can be
compensatingly engaged with each other. That is, the first guide
member 40 can be received solely in a specific second guide member
42 having the ribs 52 located at positions corresponding to those
of the grooves 48 under the compensating engagement of the
respective grooves 48 with the corresponding ribs 52, and thereby,
the specific combination of the first and second connectors 12 and
14 including the first and second guide members 40 and 42 can be
allowed to be connected with each other.
The first guide member 40 is smoothly accommodated in the second
guide member 42 when the compensating engagement is substantially
simultaneously started between the grooves 48 and the ribs 52 by
opposing the front end surface 44a of the first wall 44 of the
first guide member 40 substantially parallel to the front end
surface 50a of the second wall 50 of the second guide member 50. At
this time, the first and second connectors 12, 14 are relatively
positioned so that the fitting portions 22, 32 thereof are in a
face-to-face arrangement, and the mutual engagement is carried out
in this condition. Further, under the compensating engagement of
the grooves 48 and the ribs 52, the first and second connectors 12,
14 are guided so that the fitting portions 22, 32 are subjected to
a parallel translation while maintaining a face-to-face
arrangement. Consequently, an unfavorable relative inclination of
the first and second connectors 12, 14 is avoidable during the
mutual engagement thereof.
According to the connector system 10 of such a structure, the first
guide member 40 and the second guide member 42 operate to prevent
the mutual connection between the first and second connectors 12,
14 provided therewith unless a dimension, a shape and an
arrangement of the grooves 48 correspond to those of the ribs 52,
respectively. Accordingly, it is possible to ensure the reliable
connection between electronic an apparatuses while surely avoiding
the erroneous connection, if various kinds of connector systems 10
wherein grooves 48 and ribs 52 of various dimensions, shapes and
arrangements to be compensatingly engageable with each other are
provided in the first connectors 12 and the second connectors 14,
respectively, are prepared and attached to various I/O interfaces
of electronic apparatuses and I/O cables to be connected
thereto.
FIG. 5 illustrates a first connector 12' with a first guide member
40' in which a plurality of grooves 48' are arranged at positions
different from those of the first guide member 40 shown in FIG. 1,
and a second connector 14' with a second guide member 42' in which
a plurality of ribs 52' are arranged at positions different from
those of the second guide member 42 shown in FIG. 1. The first
connector 12' and the second connector 14' are fittable with each
other under the compensating engagement between the first guide
member 40' and the second guide member 42'. It will be understood
that, as described above, since the first guide member 40' cannot
be compensatingly engaged with the second guide member 42, the
first connector 12' cannot be connected to the second connector 14,
and similarly, since the second guide member 42' cannot be
compensatingly engaged with the first guide member 40, the second
connector 14' cannot be connected to the first connector 12.
In addition, when the first guide member 40 and the second guide
member 42 are not compensatingly engaged with each other, since the
flat front end surface 44a of the first wall 44 of the first guide
member 40 abuts to the flat front end faces of the ribs 52 of the
second wall 50 of the second guide member 42, the first and second
connectors 12, 14 are maintained in a face-to-face arrangement
described above. Consequently, a risk of unintentional contact
between some of the contacts 18, 30 of the first and second
connectors 12, 14 is avoidable.
To ensure the face-to-face arrangement and the parallel translation
of the first and second connectors 12, 14 when the both are
compensatingly engaged, the grooves 48 of the first guide member 40
are preferably distributed in upper and lower parts of the fitting
portion 22 of the first connector 12 divided by a horizontal center
plane P1 and left and right parts of the fitting portion 22 divided
by a vertical center plane P2 (see FIG. 3). Similarly, the ribs 52
of the second guide member 42 are preferably distributed in upper
and lower parts of the fitting portion 32 of the second connector
14 divided by a horizontal center plane R1 and left and right parts
of the fitting portion 32 divided by a vertical center plane R2
(see FIG. 4). Such an arrangement of the grooves 48 and the ribs 52
also has an advantage in that the maintenance of the
above-mentioned face-to-face arrangement between the first and
second connectors 12, 14 is facilitated when the first guide member
40 is not compensatingly engaged with the second guide member 42.
Note the groove 48 and the rib 52 may be formed in each of the
longitudinal side of the first and second guide members,
respectively, while crossing the vertical center plane P2 or
R2.
To enable the assembly of the first and second guide members 40, 42
to the first and second connectors 12, 14 having the fitting
portions 22, 32 with a polarity, without taking the directionality
of the first and second guide members 40, 42 into account, the
grooves 48 of the first guide member 40 are preferably arranged at
positions symmetric with respect to a center point O of the fitting
portion 22 of the first connector 12 (see FIG. 3). Similarly, the
ribs 52 of the second guide member 42 are arranged at positions
symmetric with a center point Q of the fitting portion 32 of the
second connector 14 (see FIG. 4). Thereby, The operability of the
assembly of the first and second guide members 40, 42 is
improved.
According to the connector system 10, since no opening is provided
in the panel 34 for attaching the second connector 14 thereto,
except for the opening 34a for inserting the fitting portion 32
therethrough, the electromagnetic shielding function is not
deteriorated in the I/O interface particularly due to the panel 34.
If the first guide member 40 and the second guide member 42 are
made of metallic material, the electromagnetic shielding function
in the I/O interface is further enhanced since an electromagnetic
shielding function due to the first guide member 40 and the second
guide member 42 is added to that initially provided in the
insulation bodies 16, 28. In this case, a sufficient effect is
obtainable even if the second guide member 42 arranged relatively
outside is solely made of metallic material. Also, even if either
the first guide member 40 or the second guide member 42 is made of
metal, there is no projection in either of the first guide member
40 and the second guide member 42, having a length sufficient for
easily insertable into the counterpart connector 12, 14, whereby a
short circuit between the contacts 18 and 30 caused by a careless
mistake is surely avoidable.
The polarizing key mechanism of the connector system 10 is further
provided with a pair of abutting sections 54 formed integral with
the first wall 44 of the first guide member 40 and extending inward
and forward in a cantilever manner from a pair of lateral portions
opposed to each other. The first abutting sections 54 are arranged
so that they substantially abut to the front surface 16a of the
body 16 at a front ends and are located adjacent to the fitting
portion 22 when the first guide member 40 is attached to the shell
20 of the first connector 12. The respective first abutting section
54 inhibits the mutual connection of the first connector 12 with
another connector incapable of compensatingly engaging with the
first guide member 40, i.e., a general-purpose female connector
described later having no second guide member 42, by the abutment
to a predetermined portion of the latter.
On the other hand, the second guide member 42 attached to the panel
34 defines a gap between a pair of lateral portions of the second
wall 50 and the fitting portion 32 of the second connector 14, for
accommodating the pair of first abutting sections 54 of the first
guide member 40, not to interfere with the connection between the
first and second connectors 12, 14 having the first and second
guide members 40, 42, respectively, compensatingly engageable with
each other. The pair of fixed hooks 38 provided in the second
connector 14 are of a bifurcate shape (see FIG. 4). Similarly, the
pair of pivoted hooks 26 of the first connector 12 is of a
bifurcate shape, not to interfere with the first abutting sections
54.
The polarizing key mechanism of the connector system 10 is provided
with a pair of second abutting sections 56 extending substantially
parallel to a pair of opposite longitudinal portions of the second
wall 50 formed integrally with the second guide member 42. The
second abutting sections 56 are disposed in the vicinity of the
fitting portion 32 of the second connector 14 when the second guide
member 42 is attached to the panel 34. The respective second
abutting section 56 inhibits the mutual connection of the second
connector 14 with another connector incapable of compensatingly
engaging with the second guide member 42; i.e., a general-purpose
male connector described later having no first guide member 40, by
the abutment to a predetermined portion of the latter.
On the other hand, the second guide member 42 attached to the panel
34 defines a gap between a pair of longitudinal portions of the
second wall 50 and the fitting portion 32 of the second connector
14, for accommodating a pair of longitudinal portions of the first
wall 44 of the first guide member 40, not to interfere with the
connection between the first and second connectors 12, 14 having
the first and second guide members 40, 42, respectively,
compensatingly engageable with each other. Each of a pair of
longitudinal edges of the front end 20a of the shell 20 of the
first connector 12 has a rectangular cut-off area (see FIG. 3).
The general-purpose connector which is prevented from being
connected with the first and second connectors 12, 14 by means of
the first and second abutting sections 54, 56 of the first and
second guide members 40, 42 is a male connector 200 and a female
connector 202 of substantially the same structure as that of the
first and second connectors 12, 14 except that there are no first
and second guide members 40, 42 therein, as shown in FIG. 8. That
is, a dimension, an arrangement and the number of contact (not
shown) of the male connector 200, and a dimension and a shape of a
body 206 including a D-shaped fitting portion 204 are the same as
those of the first connector 12. While, a dimension, an arrangement
and the number of contact (not shown) of the female connector 202,
and a dimension and a shape of a body 208 including a D-shaped
fitting portion 208 are the same as those of the second connector
14. The male connector 200 and the female connector 202 constitute
a general-purpose connector system fitted to each other in a
mutually inserting manner.
A shell 212 of the male connector 200 is of substantially the same
structure as the shell 20 of the first connector 12, except that
the rectangular cut-off area is not provided along each of the pair
of longitudinal edges of its front end 212a for the purpose of
avoiding the abutment to the second abutting section 56 of the
second guide member 42. Accordingly, the male connector 200 is
fittable to the second connector 14 with no second guide member 42
in an inserting manner, whereby the electric connection is
established between both the connectors 14 and 200. As described
above, however, to the second connector 14 provided with the second
guide member 42, the shell 212 of the male connector 200 abuts by a
pair of longitudinal edges of the front end 212a to the pair of
second abutting sections 56 of the second guide member 42, whereby
the mutual connection between the male connector 200 and the second
connector 14 is inhibited.
In this regard, it is necessary that the pair of second abutting
sections 56 of the second guide member 42 have dimensions large
enough for surely avoiding even a slight contact between the
contacts of the male connector 200 with the contacts 30 of the
second connector 14. Also, to prevent the male connector 200 from
tilting relative to the second connector 14 when the front end 212a
of the shell 212 abuts to the pair of second abutting sections 56
of the second guide member 42, the second abutting sections 56 of
the same dimensions are preferably arranged on upper and lower
sides of the fitting portion 32 in a symmetric manner.
On the other hand, a pair of stationary hooks 214 of the female
connector 202 is of substantially the same structure as the pair of
fixed hooks 38 of the second connector 14, except that the former
has no bifurcate shape necessary for avoiding the abutment with the
first abutting section 54 of the first guide member 40.
Accordingly, the female connector 202 can be fitted in an inserting
manner to the first connector 12 having no first guide member 40 to
establish the electric connection between both the connectors 12,
202. As described above, however, to the first connector 12
provided with the first guide member 40, the pair of stationary
hooks 214 of the female connector 202 abuts by a front ends thereof
to the pair of first abutting sections 54 of the first guide member
40, whereby the mutual connection between the female connector 202
and the first connector 12 is inhibited.
In this regard, it is necessary that the pair of first abutting
sections 54 of the first guide member 40 have dimensions large
enough for surely avoiding even a slight contact between the
contacts of the female connector 202 and the contacts 18 of the
first connector 12. Also, to prevent the first connector 12 from
tilting relative to the female connector 202 when the front ends of
the pair of stationary hooks 214 abuts to the pair of first
abutting sections 54 of the first guide member 40, the first
abutting sections 54 of the same dimensions are preferably arranged
on left and right sides of the fitting portion 22 in a symmetric
manner. In this case, a pressure applied to the first abutting
sections 54 is received by the front surface 16a of the connector
body 16.
When various kinds of I/O cables in which various first connectors
12 and male connectors 200 are mixedly used are connected to
various kinds of electronic apparatuses in which various second
connectors 14 and the female connectors 202 are mixedly used, a
specific combination of the apparatuses is solely allowed to be
connected but other combination than the above is surely inhibited
from being connected as described above. During the connecting
operation, since the inclination of the first connector 12 relative
to the female connector 202 and that of the male connector 200
relative to the second connector 14 are effectively inhibited by
the above-mentioned symmetric arrangement of the first abutting
sections 54 and the second abutting sections 56, there is no risk
in that some of contacts of the connectors 12, 14, 200, 202 are
partially in contact with each other to cause the erroneous
connection.
When at least one of the first guide member 40 and the second guide
member 42 is made of metal, the first abutting section 54 and the
second abutting section 56 preferably have a dimension incapable of
being easily inserted into the fitting portions of the counterpart
connectors 12, 14. Thereby, it is possible to surely prevent the
contacts 18, 30 from being in contact with each other by a careless
connecting operation.
The connector system 10 of such an arrangement may be particularly
suitably employed in a case wherein conventional connectors are
mixedly used together with connectors for an interface of the
above-mentioned new standard type. In other words, when the
above-mentioned male connector 200 is a conventional connector, the
first connector 12 having the same main body 206 and contacts as
those of the conventional connector can be converted to a connector
for the new standard type interface capable of surely preventing
the erroneous insertion into the male connector 200, by somewhat
modifying the shell 212 of the conventional male connector 200 as
well as adding the first guide member 40. Similarly, when the
above-mentioned male connector 202 is a conventional connector, the
second connector 14 having the same main body 210 and contacts as
those of the conventional connector can be converted to a connector
for the new standard type interface capable of surely preventing
the erroneous insertion into the male connector 200, by somewhat
modifying the pair of stationary hooks 214 of the conventional
female connector 202 as well as adding the second guide member
42.
FIGS. 6 and 7 are a diagrammatic perspective view and a partially
sectional plan view, respectively, of a connector system 60
according to a second aspect of the present invention. The
connector system 60 has a pair of first and second connectors 62,
64, each having a fitting portion to be fitted to a counterpart
fitting portion in a mutually inserting manner to establish an
electrical connection between the both and a polarizing key
mechanism permitting only a specific combination of the first and
second connectors to be connected to each other. Accordingly, the
connector system 60 is suitably used for an I/O interface of an
electronic apparatus.
The first connector 62 includes a main body 66 and contacts 68
which are of the same structure as the main body 16 and the
contacts 18 of the first connector 12 shown in FIG. 1, and is used
as a male connector to be provided on an I/O interface side. A
shell 70 for covering the main body 66 is molded, for example, of a
resinous material in integral with the main body 66.
In this case, the shell 70 is formed by an injection molding of the
resinous material carried out while placing the main body 66 within
a predetermined mold with the contacts 68 being connected to
cables. The shell 70 is open at a front end 70a to expose a male
type fitting portion 72 of the main body 66 therefrom.
The shell 70 is further provided with a pair of pivoted hooks 76
having substantially the same structure as that of the pair of
pivoted hooks 26 of the first connector 12.
The second connector 64 includes a main body 78 and contacts 80
which are of the same structure as the main body 28 and the
contacts 30 of the second connector 14 shown in FIG. 1, and is used
as a female connector to be provided on a circuit board side of an
electronic apparatus. Similar to the second connector 14, the
second connector 64 is fixed to a metallic panel 84 by bolts 86
while exposing a female type fitting portion 82 of the main body 78
outside from an opening 84a of the panel 84 in a housing of the
apparatus. On a front surface 78a of the main body 78, there are a
pair of fixed hooks 88 having substantially the same structure as
that of the pair of fixed hooks 38 of the second connector 14.
The polarizing key mechanism for the connector system 60 includes a
first frame-shaped guide section 90 disposed around the fitting
portion 72 of the first connector 62 and a second frame-shaped
guide member 92 disposed around the fitting portion 82 of the
second connector 64. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the first guide
section 90 is constituted by a generally rectangular frame-shaped
first wall portion 94 located adjacent to the front end 70a of the
shell 70 and surrounding the fitting portion 72 of the first
connector 62 via a gap. Two cutout grooves 96 are spaced from each
other in the first wall portion 94 of the first guide section 90
along a pair of opposed longitudinal edges thereof, respectively.
The respective cutout groove 96 extends linearly in the direction
vertical to a generally flat front end surface 94a of the first
wall portion 94, as well as in parallel to the inserting direction
(the arrowed direction B in FIG. 7) of the first connector 66 into
the second connector 64.
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the second guide member 92 has a
generally rectangular frame-shaped second wall 98 surrounding the
fitting portion 82 via a gap, and secured to a front surface of the
panel 84, for example, by bolts 86 for fixing the second connector
64 to the panel 84. The second wall 98 of the second guide member
92 has a dimension and a shape capable of receiving the first wall
portion 94 with the inner surface of the second wall 98 being in
contact as a whole with the outer surface of the first wall portion
94 of the first guide section 90. Two ribs 100 are formed on each
of inner surfaces of a pair of opposite longitudinal sides of the
second wall 98 of the second guide member 92. The respective rib
100 has a dimension, a shape and an arrangement compensatingly
engageable with each of the cutout grooves 96 of the first guide
section 90, and linearly extends in the vertical direction to a
generally flat front end surface 98a. When the second guide member
92 is mounted to a predetermined position on the panel 84, the
respective rib 100 extends in parallel to the connector-inserting
direction B described above. A front end surface of the respective
rib 100 is located on the extension of the generally flat front end
surface 98a of the second wall 98.
The first guide section 90 and the second guide member 92 permit
the mutual connection of the first connector 62 with the second
connector 64 when the cutout grooves 96 and the ribs 100 thereof
are compensatingly engageable. That is, the first guide section 90
can be received solely in a specific second guide member 92 having
the ribs 100 located at positions corresponding to those of the
cutout grooves 96 under the compensating engagement of the
respective cutout grooves 96 with the corresponding ribs 100, and
thereby, the specific combination of the first and second
connectors 62 and 64 having the first guide section 90 and the
second guide member 92 is allowed to be engaged with each
other.
The first guide section 90 is smoothly accommodated in the second
guide member 92 when the compensating engagement is substantially
simultaneously started between the cutout grooves 96 and the ribs
100 by opposing the front end surface 94a of the first wall portion
94 of the first guide section 90 substantially parallel to the
front end surface 98a of the second wall 98 of the second guide
member 92. At this time, the first and second connectors 62, 64 are
relatively positioned so that the fitting portions 72, 82 thereof
are in a face-to-face arrangement, and the mutual engagement is
carried out in this condition. Further, under the compensating
engagement of the cutout grooves 96 and the ribs 100, the first and
second connectors 62, 64 are guided so that the fitting portions
72, 82 are subjected to a parallel translation while maintaining a
face-to-face arrangement.
Consequently, an unfavorable relative inclination of the first and
second connectors 62, 64 is avoidable during the mutual engagement
thereof.
According to the connector system 60 of such a structure, the first
guide section 90 and the second guide member 92 operate to prevent
the mutual engagement between the first and second connectors 62,
64 provided therewith unless a dimension, a shape and an
arrangement of the cutout grooves 96 correspond to those of the
ribs 100, respectively. Accordingly, it is possible to establish
the reliable connection between electronic apparatuses while surely
avoiding the erroneous connection, if various kinds of connector
systems 60 wherein cutout grooves 96 and ribs 100 of various
dimensions, shapes and arrangements to be compensatingly engageable
with each other are provided in the first connectors 62 and the
second connectors 64, respectively, are prepared and attached to
various I/O interfaces of electronic apparatuses and I/O cables to
be connected thereto.
In addition, when the first guide section 90 and the second guide
member 92 are not compensatingly engaged with each other, since the
flat front end surface 94a of the first wall portion 94 of the
first guide section 90 abuts to the flat front end of the ribs 100
of the second wall 98 of the second guide member 92, the first and
second connectors 62, 64 are maintained in a face-to-face
arrangement described above. Consequently, a risk of unintentional
contact between some of the contacts 18, 30 of the first and second
connectors 62, 64 is avoidable.
To ensure the face-to-face arrangement and the parallel translation
of the first and second connectors 62, 64 when the both are
mutually engaged, the cutout grooves 96 of the first guide section
90 are preferably distributed in upper and lower parts of the
fitting portion 72 of the first connector 62 divided by a
horizontal center plane and left and right parts of the fitting
portion 72 divided by a vertical center plane similar to the
above-mentioned plurality of grooves 48 of the first guide member
40. Also, similar to the ribs 52 of the second guide member 42 as
described before, the ribs 100 of the second guide member 92 are
preferably distributed in upper and lower parts of the fitting
portion 82 of the second connector 64 divided by a horizontal
center plane and left and right parts of the fitting portion 82
divided by a vertical center plane. Such an arrangement of the
cutout grooves 96 and the ribs 100 also has an advantage in that
the maintenance of the abovementioned face-to-face arrangement
between the first and second connectors 62, 64 is facilitated when
the first guide section 90 is not compensatingly engaged with the
second guide member 92. Note the cutout groove 96 and the rib 100
may be formed in each of the longitudinal side of the first and
second guide members, respectively, while crossing the vertical
center plane.
To enable the assembly of the first guide section 90 and the second
guide member 92 to the first and second connectors 62, 64 having
the fitting portions 72, 82 with a polarity, without taking the
directionality of the first guide section 90 and the second guide
members 92 into account, the cutout grooves 96 of the first guide
section 90 are preferably arranged at positions symmetric with
respect to a center point of the fitting portion 72 of the first
connector 62. Similarly, the ribs 100 of the second guide member 92
are arranged at positions symmetric with a center point of the
fitting portion 82 of the second connector 64. Thereby, the
workability in the molding process of the first guide section 90,
i.e., the shell 70, and that in the assembly of the second guide
member 92 are improved.
According to the connector system 60, the electromagnetic shielding
function is not deteriorated in the I/O interface particularly due
to the panel 34.
If the second guide member 92 is made of metallic material, the
electromagnetic shielding function in the I/O interface is further
enhanced since an electromagnetic shielding function due to the
second guide member 92 is added to that initially provided in the
main bodies 66, 78. Since there is no projection in the second
guide member 92 having such a dimension as to facilitate the
insertion thereof into the counterpart fitting portion 72 of the
first connector 62, the short circuit of the contacts 68 due to the
careless mistake is avoidable even if the second guide member 92 is
made of metal.
The polarizing key mechanism of the connector system 60 is further
provided with a pair of first abutting sections 102 formed integral
with the shell 70 and the first guide section 90 of the first
connector 62 and extending forward generally in parallel to a pair
of opposite lateral portions of the first wall portion 94. The
first abutting sections 102 are arranged adjacent to the fitting
portion 72 of the main body 66 of the first connector 62. The
respective first abutting section 102 operates to abut to a
predetermined position of another connector which is not
compensatingly engageable with the first guide section 90; i.e., a
general-purpose female connector (such as a female connector 202)
having no second guide member 92, to inhibit the mutual connection
of the first connector 62 with the general-purpose female
connector.
On the other hand, the second guide member 92 attached to the panel
84 defines a gap between a pair of lateral portions of the second
wall 98 and the fitting portion 82 of the second connector 64, for
accommodating the pair of first abutting portions 102 of the first
guide section 90, not to interfere with the connection between the
first and second connectors 62, 64 having the first guide section
90 and the second guide member 92, respectively, compensatingly
engageable with each other. Each of the pair of fixed hooks 88
provided in the second connector 64 is of a bifurcate shape not to
be in contact with the first abutting section 102.
Similarly, each of the pair of pivoted hooks 76 is of a bifurcate
shape not to interfere with the first abutting section 102.
In the polarizing key mechanism for the connector system 60, the
ribs 100 formed in the second guide member 92 extend close to the
fitting portion 82 of the second connector 64 to operate as second
abetting sections. The rib 100 used as the second abetting section
abuts to a predetermined position of another connector such as a
general-purpose male connector (male connector 200) having no first
guide section 90, which is not compensatingly engageable with the
second guide member 92, to inhibit the mutual connection of the
second connector 64 with the general-purpose male connector.
Contrarily, since the first guide section 90 is receivable in the
second guide member 92 by the compensating engagement of the cutout
grooves 96 with the ribs 100, the connection is permissible between
the first and second connectors 62, 64 having the first guide
section 90 and the second guide member 92 compensatingly engageable
with each other.
Similar to the connector system 10, in the connector system 60 of
such a structure, a shell 212 of the above-mentioned female
connector 200 abuts by a pair of longitudinal edges of a front end
212a thereof to the ribs 100 constituting the second abutting
section of the second guide member 92 to inhibit the mutual
connection between the male connector 200 and the second connector
64. Also, the above-mentioned pair of stationary hooks 214 of the
female connector 202 abut by front ends thereof to the pair of
first abutting sections 102 to inhibit the mutual connection
between the female connector 202 and the first connector 62.
Thus, similar to the connector system 10, it will be understood
that the connector system 60 is effectively used when the
conventional connector is used in the interface of the
above-mentioned new standard type. In this case, the first
connector 62 can be manufactured as the connector for the new
standard type interface capable of reliably preventing the
erroneous insertion thereof into the male connector 200 solely by
forming the shell 70 of a predetermined shape by an injection
molding process in place of the shell 212 of the conventional male
connector 200, whereby man-hours necessary for the production of
the connector can be reduced.
While the present invention has been described above with reference
to the preferred embodiments thereof, the present invention should
not be limited thereto but includes various changes and
modifications. For example, the first guide member 40 and the
second guide member 42, 92 are not restricted to a correct
rectangular frame shape as illustrated but may be of a rectangular
frame shape divided into upper and lower portions or right and left
portions. Also, contrary to the preceding embodiments, the first
guide section may have ribs and the second guide section may have
grooves to be compensatingly engageable with the former. Further,
the second guide section may be formed as a frame portion molded in
integral with the panel fixed to the insulation body of the second
connector. This frame portion may have the same structure as that
of the above-mentioned second guide member 42, 92.
EFFECT OF THE INVENTION
As apparent from the foregoing description, according to the
present invention, a connector system with a polarizing key
function permitting only a specific combination of connectors is
provided, wherein a first guide member of a first connector and a
second guide member of a second connector allow the mutual
connection between the first and second connectors when a plurality
of engaging sections thereof members are compensatingly engageable
with each other, and the fitting portions of the first and second
connectors are guided to cause a parallel translation while
maintaining a face-to-face arrangement. Thereby, it is possible to
prevent the connectors from being erroneously inserted to each
other while surely avoiding a partial contact of contacts and a
short circuit, which significantly enhances the safety of
high-performance electronic apparatuses when the same are connected
to each other.
When the first and second abutting sections are provided in the
first and second connectors, respectively, it is possible to surely
inhibit the erroneous insertion not only of connectors having the
polarizing key mechanism according to the present invention but
also of those having no such a mechanism. If at least one of the
first and second guide members is made of metal, an electromagnetic
shielding function is further facilitated in an I/O interface. If a
plurality of engaging sections in the first and second guide
members are symmetrically arranged in relation to a center point of
the respective engaging section, it is possible to easily and
correctly add a polarizing key function to a connector having a
polarity in the fitting portion thereof.
DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
12, 62 . . . first connector
14, 64 . . . second connector
20, 70 . . . shell
22, 32, 72, 82 . . . fitting portion
34, 84 . . . panel
40 . . . first guide member
42, 92 . . . second guide member
44 . . . first wall
48 . . . groove
50, 98 . . . second wall
52, 100 . . . rib
54, 102 . . . first abutting section
56 . . . second abutting section
90 . . . first guide section
94 . . . first wall portion
96 . . . cutout groove
* * * * *